Desizeme - Dieting, Weight Loss, Calorie Control

Desize Me - Diets that Work by Reducing Portion Sizes - Only Eat the Better Half

Losing weight is very hard to do, especially long term. It is sad and frustrating that only about 20% of people who begin a diet and lose weight, manage to keep to their target weight for 12 months and only about 10% keep the weight off permanently.

The major problem is that dieting is done short-term. It works for a while, but the causes of obesity and weight gain are due to lifestyles and eating patterns and behavioral in the long term. Once the dieting stops, and people revert to their normal eating and habits, the weight gain start afresh.

Dieting has to involve permanent gradual changes in lifestyle and adoption of new eating patterns that are very easy to follow and maintain - Eat Less and Exercise More. It has to be a permanent sustained change.

Many people end up permanently on diets and end up miserable for years, but they don't lose weight because they don’t change their lifestyles. Permanent Weight Loss requires permanent changes in lifestyle not temporary diets

The best way to do lose weight is by reducing portion sizes and intermittent fasting – Eat less Calories.

Reduce portion sizes to lose weight and keep it off. Source: Public DomainThe smaller MyPlate - ONLY EAT THE BETTER HALF OR EACH MEAL. Source: Public DomainPortion and meal sizes have increased dramatically and this is a major problem. Source: Public Domain

We each more Often, Eat more Snacks Food and Drink and Eat Bigger Portions (Upsize Me)

A recent study reported that in the USA the average calorie intake per day for adults increased by a whopping 570 calories over a 25-year period. Most of the extra food eaten and extra calories consumed was due to 'snacking'. There were major increases in the number of drinking and eating sessions throughout the day and increases in portion sizes as well. People are eating more often, eating bigger meals and eating more snacks.

The annual daily calorie intake for adults in America rose by about 30 Calories (kcal) per day, per year over the 30 years from 1977 to 2006.

The largest cause of this change was the increase in the Number of Eating Sessions, this accounted for about and extra 22 kcal (70%). The average number of eating sessions increased from about 3 1/2 per day to 5 per day.

Larger Portion Size accounted for an extra 10 kcal (30%).

The Energy Density of the meal portions consumed actually decreased, accounting for a decline of about 4 kcal.

The conclusion from the study is that people simply eat too much. The secret to losing weight are reducing portion sizes and reducing the number of meals and snacks consumed.

Weight Problems and Obesity Increasing AlarminglyDespite Billions being Spent on Weight Control Programs

Government Weight Loss Programs throughout the world are not Working. We don’t Know Why?

The frequency of obesity in America is alarmingly high, exceeding one third of people in most sex and age groups. The US has the record for the highest obesity level in the OECD.

Obesity overweight rates have risen steadily since the 1980s in both women and men. If the trend continues, 75% of the population will be obese or overweight within 10 years.

Half of all Canadians who are over 40 of age will be obese in 25 years.

The rates of childhood obesity rates are extremely high and are clearly a tragedy for health and self-esteem. Almost half of all children in American children are overweight, and nearly one quarter are obese. The obesity rate trends have declined in the last 10 years, but they are still far too high.

Obesity is predicted to overtake smoking as the major cause of preventable illnesses and death in the next few years imposing a tremendous burden on Government health programs and budgets.

The alarming increase in obesity rates worldwide has clearly demonstrated that trying to get people to eat the Right Foods is the Wrong Advice. Government Weight Loss programs and strategies are clearly not working.

The government programs such as Mypyramid and Myplate are meant to be strategies for weight loss, BUT these programs don't offer specific weight-loss plans, they merely give nutrition suggestions about the number of serving of various types of food to eat. These programs are NOT strategies for successfully losing weight. To quote from the 2010 US "Dietary Guidelines for Americans"

Exercise Helps but won't work for weight loss if you don't eat less

You only have to look at the calories burnt via exercise to see that exercise itself will not help much in losing weight.

Voluntary Programs by the Food Industry have been a Dismal Failure

In Australia research has shown that junk food advertising during the time when most children watched television actually increased after self-regulation was introduced.

Stomach band surgery works but it is expensive and risky

What has worked for those who have lost weight and kept it off?

A study of more than 75,000 women who were surveyed in 1982 and again in 1992 was designed to examine the association between weight and various food choices and behaviour.

This study showed that:

Over the ten year period weight increase ( body mass index) was associated with the amount of meat consumption and stopping smoking.

Weight loss over the 10 year period was associated with vegetable consumption, vitamin E supplements, continued smoking, and vigorous exercise such as jogging and running.

Body mass index decreased with walking 4 or more hours per week, especially in women

Another study of National Weight Control Registry members showed that losing weight and maintaining reduced weight levels is possible for several years. To qualify for the registry all dieters had to show that they had lost at least 30 pounds and kept the weight off for at least 12 months.

The study showed that the subjects lost an average of about 30 kg or more over the 5 year period. The strategies that were shown to help to keep the weight off were:

physical activity for about 45-60 minutes a day

eating a low-fat diet, with emphasis on eating low-calorie meals at regular times,

eating some breakfast every day,

tracking weight and weight loss regularly

keeping to a regular and unchanged eating pattern on both weekdays and weekends.

Strictly following the set of exercise and diet strategies, leading to permanent lifestyle changes

managing depression and mood changes likely to cause binge eating

Conclusion

While the strategies mentioned work - they work for only a small number of people. Why?

Traditional dieting methods involve counting calories, keep track of everything we eat and working out the calorie count, amount of sugar and fat etc., and eating strange foods that we normally don't eat - the diet foods. Many diets are simply unpleasant.

Most diets are unnatural and so unrealistic that they can never lead to lifestyle and food plans that can be maintained after people have lost weight. People lose control drop the diet and put all the weight back on again.

If your weight loss and maintenance program is to succeed is must be pleasurable and not hamper your normal behaviour such as eating out or having a dinner party.

This strategy progresses naturally from the diet to eating less and changing your way of life Eat Less and Become Fitter and Healthier.

The calorie density of the food is the key. Source: Public DomainThe food pyramid shows that the foundation of a good diet is fruit and vegetables. Source: Public DomainSmaller portion sizes and less rich food is needed, but it is hard to do when there is such abundance. Source: Original Image by John AndersonThe smaller MyPlate. Source: Public DomainMake healthier Choices. Source: Public Domain